Biography

Jacques (Jacob) van Schuppen was a French painter of Flemish descent, active in Austria. After training with his father and Nicolas de Largillière, he worked for five years at the ducal court in Lorraine at Lunéville before arriving in Vienna in 1713, where he settled. Here he sought the patronage of Prince Eugene of Savoy, but ultimately obtained this from Count Gundacker Althan. It was not until 1721 that he was introduced to the imperial Court and subsequently appointed Kammermaler. In 1726 he was appointed director of the Academy by Emperor Karl VI. He developed the Academy after the model of the Royal Academy in Paris.